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SEIA is the solar energy industry’s go-to source for the latest coverage on solar power, including U.S. and international policy, research and polls, business and financing trends, and more. Our staff strives to support the media covering solar energy issues and guide our members on effective media outreach with clear statements, background materials, news and multimedia resources.

SEIA is committed to informing policymakers, the media, and the American public about the benefits of solar energy for today’s communities, our economy, and our country.

A new report from Duke University, The Solar Economy: Widespread Benefits for North Carolina, found that public policies such as North Carolina’s Renewable Energy Portfolio Standard and Investment Tax Credit have made North Carolina first in the south and fourth in the nation for installed solar investment, creating jobs and boosting the economy across the state.

The City of Tybee Island and Chatham County announced Atlanta-based Hannah Solar, LLC as the winning bidder to develop the community solar program, Solarize Tybee. Solarize Tybee, the first Solarize project in Georgia, allows residents and business owners to purchase solar at a lower cost through the power of bulk purchasing, which is estimated to bring the total cost down by 15-30%. The program was originally intended for just Tybee Island, but after an outpour of positive responses from citizens in the region, it has now spread throughout all of Chatham County.

Vivint Solar says it has extended job offers to all of the graduates of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) "Reach for the Sun" pilot program at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, just north of San Diego.

"Reach for the Sun" is an intensive workforce training program designed to help place military personnel who are transitioning out of active duty into jobs within the solar industry.

San Antonio is one of the leading cities for solar energy in the United States, with photovoltaic systems on nearly 2,500 roofs and a solar farm in the works that will power the equivalent of 70,000 homes.

Leading the effort is Doyle Beneby, the CEO of the city-owned utility, CPS Energy, which not only instituted a rooftop solar program that provides rebates for homeowners installing PV systems, but also negotiated deals with companies such as OCI Solar Power, the developer of the 400 megawatt solar farm.

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WASHINGTON, DC – Pointing to huge growth in the U.S. solar industry, the 2015 edition of the Sustainable Energy in America Factbook, produced for the Business Council for Sustainable Energy (BCSE) by Bloomberg New Energy Finance, was released today. In response to the report, Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) President Rhone Resch said:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Calling it “a major investment in America’s future,” Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), today applauded a proposal included in President Obama's fiscal 2016 budget request that would make the solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC) permanent, similar to other existing tax credits. Solar energy is an American success story. Since first being enacted in 2006 under a Republican administration – and at SEIA’s strong urging – the solar ITC has been a tremendous boon to both the U.S. economy and our environment.

WASHINGTON, DC – Saying it was an important step toward meeting the White House’s renewable energy goals, Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today applauded efforts by the Department of Energy (DOE) to invest more than $59 million in solar technology innovation and community deployment:

Reacting to news today that the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), along with the State of California, will expand financing for energy efficiency and solar energy in multifamily housing, Rhone Resch, president and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), released the following statement:

For the fourth time in just three years, a major professional sports championship will be decided on Sunday by teams which have invested significantly in clean, dependable solar energy, according to a new, first-of-its-kind analysis conducted by the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA).

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San Antonio is one of the leading cities for solar energy in the United States, with photovoltaic systems on nearly 2,500 roofs and a solar farm in the works that will power the equivalent of 70,000 homes.

Leading the effort is Doyle Beneby, the CEO of the city-owned utility, CPS Energy, which not only instituted a rooftop solar program that provides rebates for homeowners installing PV systems, but also negotiated deals with companies such as OCI Solar Power, the developer of the 400 megawatt solar farm.

Chinese billionaire Li Hejun, chairman of solar-equipment manufacturer Hanergy Holding, is expanding his business into the auto sector.

Hanergy will launch five models of solar-powered cars in October, according to a post on the company’s website. The models can run up to 100 km after four hours of charging, according to the statement.

“Hanergy is working with three foreign partners and two domestic firms to develop solar-powered vehicles,” the firm says in the statement. “The market potential is huge.”

Vivint, a leading provider of smart home technology, today announced that CEO Todd Pedersen will be featured on the season finale of CBS’s award-winning series “Undercover Boss,” Friday, February 20 at 8 p.m. EST.

The Southern California desert is now home to the world's largest solar power plant. U.S. Interior Secretary Sally Jewell joined state officials on Monday to open the 550-megawatt Desert Sunlight solar project in the town of Desert Center, Calif., near Joshua Tree National Park. Built by First Solar, the project generates enough electricity to power 160,000 average California homes.

NRG Energy Inc. will sell solar power directly to consumers in Colorado as part of a push into renewable energy.

NRG, the nation’s largest independent power producer, will join with SunShare LLC to build five so-called community solar projects in Denver and Colorado Springs, the companies said Wednesday. Under this model, anyone can get power from the sun even if they don’t have a good roof for panels.

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With less than a month to go, the first Solar Power Mid-Atlantic, a new regional event highlighting the strong solar industry in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware, is quickly gaining momentum.

As the old proverb goes, “you can’t have your cake and eat it, too.” But convincing some people of that isn't easy.

In hopes of ending the long-running and costly U.S.-China solar trade dispute, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) has urged SolarWorld Americas, LLC to step forward and offer a specific proposal that could serve as the basis for discussions and eventually lead to a negotiated settlement.

Benjamin Franklin once said, “half the truth is often a great lie.” Keep that in mind when you read a recent report prepared for our friends at the Edison Electric Institute (EEI) about Germany’s experience with renewable energy, including solar power.

Here’s the gist of the argument made by the energy consulting firm, Finadvice: Germany’s wholesale markets are suffering from “disequilibrium” because of increased consumer costs. The 86-page report is pretty much a hatchet job on renewables. “In conclusion, the lessons learned in Europe prove that the large-scale integration of renewable power does not provide net savings to consumers, but rather a net increase in costs to consumers and other stakeholders,” according to the report.

Really? That’s the problem with half-truths. Not surprisingly, there’s no mention of the enormous societal costs of the damaging pollution which is caused by burning fossil fuels and undeniably driving climate change.

So what’s the other side of the story – the one utilities fail to mention? In response to that question, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) today released a comprehensive study taking an in-depth look at Germany’s solar support programs and how the United States can benefit in the long term from the experiences of the world’s leading solar producer.

When it comes to clean energy and sustainability, solar looks to be a shoo-in one day for the “green” Hall of Fame. Today, more and more sports teams, sports leagues and sports organizations are embracing the advantages of solar energy.

Two recent developments clearly demonstrate why America remains “bullish” on solar energy. But they’re also vivid reminders of why we need to remain vigilant. As an organization, and as an industry, too much is at stake for us to become complacent. As the old saying goes on Capitol Hill: “What Congress giveth, Congress can taketh away.”

If you listen to many utility executives, distributed solar energy has the potential to destabilize electrical grids and result in huge cost shifts for many American consumers. Well, as the Irish are fond of saying: blarney!

Over the next 12 months, I am going to challenge our SEIA Board and team to articulate a vision and to plan a path to a world where solar is one of the top three energy sources globally. Executing against that vision and path will keep our industry among the fastest-growing in the world today.

"Cathedral thinking" refers to deep dedication to a complex endeavor that will outlive its architects. Today, it's imperative to apply this philosophy to the global crisis of climate change -- a threat that has taken centuries to create and will require unprecedented, strategic engagement of mankind to resolve.

With the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently issuing its first-ever rule limiting carbon pollution from existing power plants, many policymakers in Congress and state capitals are wondering: How can states meet the proposed standards most cost effectively?

Republicans, Democrats, and Independents can get behind two affordable, reliable, and business-friendly solutions that are ready today – American wind and solar power.